Jose Mourinho makes a crucial decision ahead of the match against Real

Ahead of the key Champions League encounter between Benfica and Real Madrid, media sources revealed that Jose Mourinho decided on his involvement with the press after the controversial episode concerning Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius.

Following the advantage gained in the first leg in Portugal, Real Madrid will host Benfica at Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg of the play-off to qualify for the Champions League round of 16. Although the Spanish side is favored, both teams still have a fair chance to advance. Prior to this critical match, reports indicate that Jose Mourinho has taken a legal stance related to the contentious events between Vinicius Jr. and Gianluca Prestianni in the first leg.

According to Sky Sports, Mourinho will exercise his right to skip the pre- and post-match press conferences for the Benfica vs. Real Madrid game. Instead, assistant coach Joao Tralhao will represent the team and handle all media obligations.

Although UEFA mandates that head coaches must speak to the media before and after matches, Mourinho is relying on his suspension following the red card in the first leg to excuse himself from this duty. The ongoing appeal and current suspension status legally justify his absence from the press. Therefore, he will not appear at any press conferences or post-match interviews.

Meanwhile, Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni has also received an official notification from UEFA regarding the incident with Vinicius in the first leg play-off. Ultimately, the European football governing body has issued a sanction against the Benfica player following the controversial incident involving the Brazilian star.

In response to this ruling, Benfica released a strong statement addressing the sanction against Prestianni. With tensions rising, the rematch in Spain promises to be fiercely contested, as Real Madrid holds only a narrow advantage.

With both Mourinho absent from the coaching bench and Prestianni missing from the lineup, Benfica will certainly have to exert maximum effort to overturn the situation and secure progression. On the other hand, Real Madrid approaches the match with an almost full squad, and Vinicius has been confirmed ready to play in this crucial fixture.